Craig Davis
Wolves are on an incredible 9-1-1 ATS run over their last 11 and I love the fact they are getting points at home tonight.
This team is likely a few years away from being a very good basketball team and as long as they can keep it close for three quarters, they have the ability to steal one at home tonight.
The Hornets simply don’t have an answer for Al Jefferson inside and he’ll wear down the Hornets big men by the fourth quarter.
Wolves keep it close enough to grab the cash tonight.
3* MINNESOTA
Vegas Experts
Brown at Yale
When these teams met in Providence last week, the results were disastrous for the Bears as their forwards combined to shoot a miserable 6 of 25 from the field and their bench scored zero points. We don't like Brown's chances in the rematch on Yale's floor as they are just 1-7 away from home this season and this number is pretty short. They are just 1-6 ATS in lined games this season compared to a 4-1 ATS mark for Yale, who comes in riding a 4 game win streak.
Play on: Yale
Teddy Covers
Houston Rockets @ Indiana Pacers
PICK: Over
Indiana wants to push the pace against everybody. The Pacers are the third highest scoring team in the league. They don’t play much defense – not in transition, not in the paint and not on the perimeter. But with six different Pacers averaging in double figures and Danny Granger ranked fourth in the league in scoring, the Indiana is more than capable of putting up points in bunches against virtually any foe.
The Pacers were stifled offensively in their last game, held to 81 points in an ugly loss at San Antonio. The Pacers were playing on the second night of back-2-backs, coming off a crushing, last second loss to New Orleans, and facing a team that slows the pace down as effectively as any team in the Western Conference, so the 81 point outcome was perfectly understandable. Considering that Indiana has hung 110+ eight times in their last ten games, I expect a completely different pace this evening.
Houston is a much, much better offensive team without Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest on the court. The Rockets rank near the bottom of the league in field goal percentage for the season, but they’ve shot 49% from the floor over their last seven games playing without their so called ‘stars’. Rockets forward Shane Battier: “The way we’re moving the ball around, we can’t afford to go back to our old offense of sit-and-watch, and isolation. It’s just not as good. We’re much better when we move the ball and play like this.”
After watching his team notch 21 assists in a win over Utah on Wednesday, making eleven three pointers and getting 19+ points from four different players, Houston head coach Rick Adelman agrees with Battier’s sentiments. “We have a nice balance going to Yao, and pick-and-rolls and ball movement. We had some good open looks that we missed tonight, but I think this team has made some pretty good strides in the last two weeks.” Facing an opponent that loves to run and gun, look for this game to be played at a rather frenetic pace now that Houston is moving the ball much better in both their halfcourt game and in transition. 2* Take the Over.
Drew Gordon
Dallas at DETROIT -4
Like most upper-echelon teams, they'll be a point in the season where the focus wanes a bit, and the losses start to come in bunches (ala Celtics after Christmas loss to Lakers). BUT, eventually good teams get their act together, and this is EXACTLY what has happened with Detroit... They'll prove me right by winning and covering tonight at home against Dallas.
Five straight losses, including ugly efforts against teams like the Thunder and Bobcats, and many people were ready to write off this Pistons team... Not so fast, as their blowout win over the Raptors two days ago at the Palace proved. Pistons locked down the Raptors (76 points on 42% shooting), and they'll do the same with the Mavs tonight.
Herein lies the problem for the Mavericks, as they've been absolutely atrocious on defense of late, allowing 107 ppg on nearly 49% shooting over their last five games! That's pathetic for a team we all know can play better, but in losing 5 of their last 7 games, its clear the Mavs are going through their own little rough patch. Detroit's offense looks to be back on track, and they should have plenty of oppurtunties tonight against the struggling Dallas D.
Bottom line, Detroit struggles are officially over, and they'll prove me right by taking care of the sputtering Mavs with relative ease tonight at the Palace. The Pistons defense is the difference, en route to a solid home win and cover!
Take Detroit over Dallas in this NBA match up.
4* DETROIT
Jimmy Boyd
1 Unit on Grizzlies/Knicks OVER 201
The recipe for NY scoring lots of points has been playing at home where they average 107.4 and momentum. NY built off of its home win over Chicago with another big home win over the Suns, scoring 102 and 114 points respectively in those games. New York is 10-1 OVER in home games off a home win over the last 2 seasons with the score totaling 217.9 ppg on average in these spots. The Grizzlies will be hungry to snap their 7-game losing streak and should be able to put up some points on a Knicks defense which is allowing 108.2 ppg at home. 4 of 5 games in this matchup have gone OVER the last 3 seasons. We'll take the OVER here.
pregame.com - Total play of the day (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)
Mavs: Dallas is coming off a devastating 133-99 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday, the team's worst performance since November 17th, 2001. The Mavs have obviously not played good defense lately, surrendering an average of 109.6 points in losing five of their last seven games. “It’s just embarrassing, really,” Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki said after losing to the Bucks. “They got whatever they wanted - wide-open shots, drives, layups.” Another problem is the lack of offensive production from point guard Jason Kidd, who is averaging a career-low 9.1 points per game and has only one game of 10 or more assists in his last 11 games.
PROJECTED SCORE: 86
Pistons (-4, O/U 182): Like Kidd, Allen Iverson is struggling with his new team, averaging a career-low 17.9 points this season. Iverson still was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star team despite those low numbers, but he has averaged 29.7 points and 8.7 assists in his last three games against the Mavs. However, it was Tayshaun Prince who stepped up with 25 points in an 95-76 win over Toronto on Wednesday. “I call him the ‘Quiet Assassin’ because he gets the job done quietly,” Detroit forward Jason Maxiell said about Prince. “People may forget about him, but he gets the job done.”
PROJECTED SCORE: 90
Stephen Nover
Rockets-Pacers OVER 209
The marketplace has bet this game down. That's fine with me. When it comes to the Pacers you must think 'over.'
Indiana is 13-3-1 'over' in its last 17 home games. The Pacers have gone 'over' 75 percent of the time during their past 28 overall games.
If you discount Indiana's last game, which came on the road against San Antonio, the Pacers are averaging 113.3 points in their last nine games while surrendering 115.1 points.
Houston scored 108 and 115 points, respectively in its last two games versus Utah and Denver. Utah ranks 15th on defense. Denver is 20th. Indiana has the 28th-worst defense.
This is significant because it shows the Rockets aren't missing injured Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest, neither of whom will play tonight. The Rockets have been getting outstanding ball movement without those two. Houston is shooting 49 percent from the floor in its last seven games.
Dwayne Bryant
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Clippers
Play: Oklahoma City Thunder -2.5
Double-revenge spot for the Thunder, who have lost twice at home to the Clippers this season. The losses were by 10 and 20 points, so you can bet the Thunder will be plenty motivated tonight. The Thunder have been playing solid basketball, going 6-5 SU in their last 11 contests. They've also been a great money-maker for bettors, producing a 21-6 ATS mark in their last 27 games. From a series perspective, the road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
Oklahoma City is
5-0 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent allowed 100 points or more in their previous game
9-1 ATS in their last 10 games playing on 1 day of rest
6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road favorite of 4.5 points or less
5-1 ATS in their last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game
5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing SU record
16-5 ATS in their last 21 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game
16-5 ATS in their last 21 road games
9-3 ATS in their last 12 games following a SU win
23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 games following an ATS win
The Clippers are a banged up team right now. Zach Randolph, who scored 22 points in the Clips last win over OKC, has been sidelined for the last 13 games with a sore left knee and Marcus Camby has missed two in a row with a sprained left ankle. It's unclear if either will be available Friday for Los Angeles, which is also without Chris Kaman (strained left arch), Baron Davis (bruised tailbone), Jason Hart (sore right elbow) and Mike Taylor (fractured right thumb). With the way they are playing right now, I feel OKC should win this by 6 to 9 points.
The beat-up Clippers are
1-14 SU in their last 15 contests
9-19 ATS in their last 28 games as a home underdog
17-36 ATS in their last 53 games following an ATS win
6-13 ATS in their last 19 games following a SU loss of more than 10 points
8-18 ATS in their last 26 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game
2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400
Take the Oklahoma City Thunder -2.5
Rocketman
Brown @ Yale
Play: 1* Brown +6.5
Brown is 17-6 ATS overall vs Yale since 1997 including 9-2 ATS at Yale since 1997. Bears are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog of 0.5-6.5. Bears are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 Friday games. Bulldogs are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400. Bulldogs are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite. Bulldogs are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 vs. Ivy League. Bulldogs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite. Bears are 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Yale. Bears are 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings. Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings. We'll recommend a small play on Brown tonight!
Gina
Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls
The Bulls continue to struggle, dropping three straight and 11 of their last 16, while the Raptors have also played terrible. Toronto has lost their last seven games overall and seven of its last eight away from home. Go with Chicago at the United Center to finally secure a lead and grab a win. The Bulls have been successful against the Raptors, winning 17 of the last 21 meetings, going 16-5 ATS and are 9-3 ATS in its last 12 home games versus Toronto.
Chicago Bulls -4
Mr A
Phoenix Suns -4
Atlanta Hawks -4
New York Knicks -6½
Johnny Guild
Dallas Mavericks at Detroit Pistons
Dallas is coming off a deplorable 133-99 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday, playing awful defense and below par offense. The Mavericks are 6-4 in their last 10 games overall, just 3-7 ATS. Take the Pistons to seize their third straight win tonight at Palace of Auburn Hills. The Mavericks are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 clashes in Detroit.
Detroit Pistons -4
NCAAB
San Francisco Dons +8.5